what is the REAL reason why protestants reject mary?

[6glargento]

i always wondered this. if you look at the earliest writings of the reformers, they gave mary the proper honor she deserves. luther even upheld many of the catholic marian doctrines. At what point did the protestants start to demonize marian devotion? do you think they had some other alterior or political motive other than the “its not in the bible” argument?

Could it be that perhaps God punished them for thier rebelion by hardening their hearts to his mother in order to limit their graces?

 

[puzzleannie]

No because God does not work that way. Not all Protestants do reject Mary. I have heard recently two beautiful teachings on Mary which gave her great honor, reflected great appreciation for her as a model of a disciple who responds to God’s call and does God’s will, and sounded very Catholic until the end, when the preachers both explained why the could not accept the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception or of the Assumption. Their reasons were that those doctrines were not evident, in their view, from the Bible. As is becoming rather boring to reiterate, we cannot use the word “protestant” to label all non-Catholic Christians, and we cannot discuss various beliefs and positions of various denominations and individuals without accurately and concisely stating the position, citing who said it under what circumstances, with references and links when possible and then rebutting or clarifying the position.

 

[dalcent]

The Protestants ‘against Mary’ are generally born-again conservative evangelicals, modern day Anabaptist derivatives. They have little if any continuity with the Reformers of the state Protestant churches: a fact they try to obfuscate. The claim by these fundamentalists that they represent ‘unalloyed Reformation Christianity’ is blatant revisionism.

Nevertheless, it is not hard to see that some of the evangelical counter-reaction to Mary is against undeniable excesses seen in certain popular Catholic piety and in some medieval writers.

Mary is the ‘first of the saved’!

 

[KnightforChrist]

No to keep it too simple here, but, it has been my observation that many protestants I talk to, reject Mary because that is what they have been TAUGHT to do by the example of others they learn from.

It comes down to basically listening and following propaganda. That’s what they know, that’s what they have grown up in, so to speak…

With a proper teaching/education, while having a mind open to the desire to learn about Mary’s role, I think many, many protestants would come to love Mary and see that she always directs us towards her son…

 

[myfavoritmartin]

No to keep it too simple here, but, it has been my observation that many protestants I talk to, reject Mary because that is what they have been TAUGHT to do by the example of others they learn from.

It comes down to basically listening and following propaganda. That’s what they know, that’s what they have grown up in, so to speak…

With a proper teaching/education, while having a mind open to the desire to learn about Mary’s role, I think many, many protestants would come to love Mary and see that she always directs us towards her son…

Wow, gimme a break! What we are taught? propaganda? c’mon, Here is what we are taught!!! Satan smiles any anytime and anyway anything (alcholol, sexual relations, television, work,even putting the ministry in front of the message!) is put between us and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, anything that takes our focus away from our Blessed Saviour.

 

[dalcent]

…protestants start to demonize marian devotion? do you think they had some other alterior or political motive other than the “its not in the bible” argument?

The main motivation Protestants actually evangelicals have is the concern that focussing on Mary means not looking at Christ. Also, giving glory to Mary is contrary to the biblical axiom ‘God will not share His glory with another.’ THIS IS THE REAL REASON.

Evangelicals also think that Catholics wrongly fear approaching an “angry God” or a “stern Christ” so they prefer going through His friendly mother.

 

[Darrel]

Wow, gimme a break! What we are taught? propaganda? c’mon, Here is what we are taught!!! Satan smiles any anytime and anyway anything (alcholol, sexual relations, television, work,even putting the ministry in front of the message!) is put between us and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, anything that takes our focus away from our Blessed Saviour.

He also smiles every time two Christians are divided and smiles a ton when Christs words are interpreted and taught 20,000 different ways. When I was Protestant I was taught that a conversation with the dead was an evil act and that included Mary. Back in the day I considered the Rosary no different then using a Ouija board. The real reason Protestants reject Mary is because they have half the truth about Christianity.

-D

 

[tequilamac]

To fully accept the Holy Mother of God is to fully accept the authority of the Holy Mother Church.

So…would anyone like to reflect on that and ask the question again?

 

[SORROWS]

Wow, gimme a break! What we are taught? propaganda? c’mon, Here is what we are taught!!! Satan smiles any anytime and anyway anything (alcholol, sexual relations, television, work,even putting the ministry in front of the message!) is put between us and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, anything that takes our focus away from our Blessed Saviour.

I would be terrified of a religion (protestant or whatever) that teaches that to love the Blessed Mother of Jesus Christ is the work of the devil.

Thank God I am Catholic. Nothing can take away My love for My Lord Jesus Christ. The Virgin Mary helps us love Him even more and always intercedes for us sinners.

One day you will see the truth. Be careful what you say about Our Lords Mother.

 

[4given]

I don’t reject the Mary of Scripture. I reject what the CC has done in elevating her and glorifying her to almost some kind of goddess status. You won’t find that in the Scriptures. She was important and blessed but that’s as far as I’m going since that’s as far as Scriptures goes. I reject the parading through the streets of crowned statues of her and bowing before them and praying to her and her supposed sinlessness and the rest. She’s not our co-redeemer, co-mediatrix, or anything of the sort. Why not follow Jesus’ own example? When confronted with a woman praising Mary, He said yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Jesus never exalted Mary above everyone else or gave any impression that we should be giving her undue attention. God will not share His glory with another.

 

[tequilamac]

I don’t reject the Mary of Scripture. I reject what the CC has done in elevating her and glorifying her to almost some kind of goddess status. You won’t find that in the Scriptures. She was important and blessed but that’s as far as I’m going since that’s as far as Scriptures goes. I reject the parading through the streets of crowned statues of her and bowing before them and praying to her and her supposed sinlessness and the rest. She’s not our co-redeemer, co-mediatrix, or anything of the sort. Why not follow Jesus’ own example? When confronted with a woman praising Mary, He said yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Jesus never exalted Mary above everyone else or gave any impression that we should be giving her undue attention. God will not share His glory with another.

And He also said: “whatsoever you do unto these, you do unto Me.” And so… dishonoring Mary and her supporters is…?
Honoring Jesus? I don’t think so.
A cup of water given to such as these is a cup of water given to…
Honor paid to such as these is honor paid to…
Alms given to such as these is alms given to …
Blessings given to such as these are blessings given to…
Respect given to such as these is respect given to…

Rather those who refuse to honor Mary for fear it detracts from God might find Jesus saying “Out of my sight you hypocrite.” (He was not above saying those things you know.)

 

[carol_marie]

I don’t reject the Mary of Scripture. I reject what the CC has done in elevating her and glorifying her to almost some kind of goddess status. You won’t find that in the Scriptures. She was important and blessed but that’s as far as I’m going since that’s as far as Scriptures goes. I reject the parading through the streets of crowned statues of her and bowing before them and praying to her and her supposed sinlessness and the rest. She’s not our co-redeemer, co-mediatrix, or anything of the sort. Why not follow Jesus’ own example? When confronted with a woman praising Mary, He said yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Jesus never exalted Mary above everyone else or gave any impression that we should be giving her undue attention. God will not share His glory with another.

I do believe this post best answers the OP. This is the answer I would’ve given before becoming Catholic.

 

[LilyM]

I don’t reject the Mary of Scripture. I reject what the CC has done in elevating her and glorifying her to almost some kind of goddess status. You won’t find that in the Scriptures. She was important and blessed but that’s as far as I’m going since that’s as far as Scriptures goes. I reject the parading through the streets of crowned statues of her and bowing before them and praying to her and her supposed sinlessness and the rest. She’s not our co-redeemer, co-mediatrix, or anything of the sort. Why not follow Jesus’ own example? When confronted with a woman praising Mary, He said yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Jesus never exalted Mary above everyone else or gave any impression that we should be giving her undue attention. God will not share His glory with another.

Can’t place the quote, but there’s a saying in regard to Mary - ‘to reject the Mother is one step away from rejecting the son’.

Follow Jesus’ example? Didn’t he follow the command to honor his mother, and follow it perfectly as he did all the commandments? Was he himself not ‘subject’ to her (and yes, the Bible does use that word) for thirty-odd years before he began his ministry? Where are your thirty years of subjection to her, since you are so set on following his example?

Didn’t he perform a miracle at her request? Have you ever done the least dang-blamed thing for her? HOW are you following his example in these particulars?

And when he said ‘blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it’, name one person apart from Christ himself who did this better than Mary? He was declaring her blessed for her obedience!!! She is the most blessed of all humans after Christ himself IF ONLY for this one reason.

So you are rejecting the Mary of scripture, and in fact you are rejecting Christ’s own example of how to act in regard to her. Away with you and your stiff-necked pride and worthless pseudo-logic.

 

[Darrel]

I don’t reject the Mary of Scripture. I reject what the CC has done in elevating her and glorifying her to almost some kind of goddess status. You won’t find that in the Scriptures.

God is not limited to the scriptures. God is alive and new things have come into the world of Christianity through his Church. I don’t see any computers mentioned in the scripture. Maybe I should reject mine and throw it away since it’s not in scripture. I like your quote “almost some kind of goddess status”. This is the common misconception. I worship no person ever. I worship only God. I could just as easily say that you worship the bible and deify it as a Godlike authority when it’s an inanimate object.

-D

 

[carol_marie]

Can’t place the quote, but there’s a saying in regard to Mary - ‘to reject the Mother is one step away from rejecting the son’.

Follow Jesus’ example? Didn’t he follow the command to honor his mother, and follow it perfectly as he did all the commandments? Was he himself not ‘subject’ to her (and yes, the Bible does use that word) for thirty-odd years before he began his ministry? Where are your thirty years of subjection to her, since you are so set on following his example?

Didn’t he perform a miracle at her request? Have you ever done the least dang-blamed thing for her? HOW are you following his example in these particulars?

And when he said ‘blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it’, name one person apart from Christ himself who did this better than Mary? He was declaring her blessed for her obedience!!! She is the most blessed of all humans after Christ himself IF ONLY for this one reason.

So you are rejecting the Mary of scripture, and in fact you are rejecting Christ’s own example of how to act in regard to her. Away with you and your stiff-necked pride and worthless pseudo-logic.

LilyM,
With all due respect, I don’t think it’s fair to jump all over this poster. The question was asked… and he answered it.

He doesn’t regard Mary in the same way we do. His church hasn’t taught him about her, or the role she could play in his faith. I think that’s sad… obviously he’s missing out.

However, I think your post was overly harsh. If someone would’ve posted this to me a couple of years ago when I expressed my reservations about Mary, I may have RUN in the other direction. Which is NOT what Mary would want.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

I would be terrified of a religion (protestant or whatever) that teaches that to love the Blessed Mother of Jesus Christ is the work of the devil.

BOO! (All right, that was cheap…)

Seriously, though, I don’t think Protestants believe anything about Mary that they don’t about their own mothers. I don’t believe that my own sainted mother, God rest her soul, was free of original sin, that she was a lifelong virgin, that it would somehow have made her holier if she had been a lifelong virgin, or that she enjoys a position relative to the Trinity that, even if it doesn’t deify her, pushes the envelope by anyone’s definition. Does failing to believe these things count as “rejecting” my mother? Does that count as “not loving” her?

Call Protestants mistaken, if you will. Call 'em deluded. That’s fine. But spare us the “If you don’t believe [insert laundry list] about Mary, you don’t ‘accept’ or love her” canard.

One day you will see the truth. Be careful what you say about Our Lords Mother.

I shall strive to, sir (or madam). I simply wish that all Catholics were as cautious.

 

[Truthstalker]

I don’t reject the Mary of Scripture. I reject what the CC has done in elevating her and glorifying her to almost some kind of goddess status. You won’t find that in the Scriptures. She was important and blessed but that’s as far as I’m going since that’s as far as Scriptures goes. I reject the parading through the streets of crowned statues of her and bowing before them and praying to her and her supposed sinlessness and the rest. She’s not our co-redeemer, co-mediatrix, or anything of the sort. Why not follow Jesus’ own example? When confronted with a woman praising Mary, He said yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Jesus never exalted Mary above everyone else or gave any impression that we should be giving her undue attention. God will not share His glory with another.

I agree with Carol Marie - this is an excellent distillation of what many Protestants believe about Mary.

Actually most if not all of the Catholic beliefs about Mary can be developed from a Sola Scriptura viewpoint. If you are to reject the Catholic version of Mary on the basis of what Scripture says, then you should review what Catholics say Scripture says about her. To give her less honor than Scripture mandates is to make the same mistake, only in the other direction, that you are accusing the Catholics of making.

I think I have, at one time or another, seen every statement you’ve made discussed from the Catholic point of view. Probably our Catholic friends here at CAF are busy finding their materials on kekharitomene, on John 3 and “behold your Mother” and Revelations 12 and the ark and hyperdoulia and all the rest, and it will soon all be posted, or other threads listed, with great vigor, because Catholics often have a deep emotional devotion to Mary, and take any criticism in the same vein as if you slammed their Mom, because, to them, that is who she is. Not kidding. Catholics look at her with deep love and respect and Protestants look on the whole thing as idolatry. That’s why we get along so well.

 

[porriwiggle]

Most of the protestants I have met reject the “Mother, Daughter, Spouse” role of Mary and then refuse to look in her direction again. If they ever get past that hurdle they can generally understand that what Mary says to us all is what she said to the servants at the Marriage feast of Cana. “Do whatever he tells you”

 

[4given]

LilyM,
With all due respect, I don’t think it’s fair to jump all over this poster. The question was asked… and he answered it.

He doesn’t regard Mary in the same way we do. His church hasn’t taught him about her, or the role she could play in his faith. I think that’s sad… obviously he’s missing out.

However, I think your post was overly harsh. If someone would’ve posted this to me a couple of years ago when I expressed my reservations about Mary, I may have RUN in the other direction. Which is NOT what Mary would want.

Thought I’d let you know I’m a she and not a he. I don’t think I’m missing out on anything. My focus is on Christ where it should be. I’m sorry but Mary is given entirely too much attentioln in the CC and I believe she herself would be unhappy about it if she knew.

 

[4given]

And He also said: “whatsoever you do unto these, you do unto Me.” And so… dishonoring Mary and her supporters is…?
Honoring Jesus? I don’t think so.
A cup of water given to such as these is a cup of water given to…
Honor paid to such as these is honor paid to…
Alms given to such as these is alms given to …
Blessings given to such as these are blessings given to…
Respect given to such as these is respect given to…

Rather those who refuse to honor Mary for fear it detracts from God might find Jesus saying “Out of my sight you hypocrite.” (He was not above saying those things you know.)

I do not dishonor the Mary of Scripture. In my humble opinion with no offense intended, mightn’t it be Catholics who dishonor her by giving her undue attention and elevating her to a position the Scripture simple does not give her? Your idea of honoring Mary isn’t the same as mine.